India must go for pollution-free methanol as fuel: Gadkari ?

Panaji, Oct 14 (PTI) Union minister Nitin Gadkari today
said India must use pollution-free methanol as fuel, like
Sweden, which is switching over to it from diesel.
He said that in a bid to reduce pollution at sea, the
Centre has initiated talks with engine manufacturers to make
bio-fuel compliant engines for ships.
The Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways and
Shipping also announced that the government is developing a
river traffic control system on the lines of air traffic
control.
"We must use pollution-free methanol as fuel that is
available at Rs 22 a litre. In Sweden, they are changing from
diesel to methanol," he said yesterday at the second day of
'Sagar Discourse', currently underway in South Goa.
The programme organised by Forum for Integrated National
Security is being attended by representatives from 22
countries.
The government is committed to reduce pollution at sea,
for which initial talks with engine manufacturers, including
Wartsila and Cummins, have begun to make bio-fuel compliant
engines for Indian shipping vessels, Gadkari said.
Expressing concerns over pollution on land and at sea,
the minister said constructing a new road lane costs the
country Rs 80,000 crore and leads to 22 per cent increase in
automobile population.
"We want to discourage road traffic and promote public
(transport) and water transport," he said referring to various
initiatives that have been launched in the Ganga and
Brahmaputra rivers, and the states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra
Pradesh.
"We are creating 40 river ports with three-metre draft
and will have a river traffic control on the lines of air
traffic control," he said.
Calling for port-led development, Gadkari said USD 50-60
billion are being put in for infrastructure development for
port connectivity that will lead to industrial investment of
USD 110 billion of industrial investment and boost employment.